In Another Life
by nuttier-than-an-almond
Summary: -FULL SUMMARY INSIDE. READ PREQUELS FIRST-In a weak moment Technus wishes he could have done more for his son and he is given the life he always wanted. He and Danny know how things should be. But will they be able to give it up to set things right?
1. The Life and Loss of Nicolai Technus

**Proofread by JeluiGarak on deviantArt**

**WARNING NEWCOMERS! THIS IS A SEQUEL! YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST TWO! THE FIRST TWO ARE AS FOLLOWS IN THIS ORDER: TEST TUBE BABY, BATTLE FOR THE BABY**

**Now that that is out of the way, let's move on to the full synopsis, shall we? Again, this will make no sense to you if you have not read the first two FIRST. The relationships will make no sense and characters will seem OOC because you haven't read their character growth.**

_**Summery:**_

_**After discovering he has a son, Nicolai Technus couldn't have been happier. He and Danny bonded and became as close as father and son could be over the years. But in a weak moment, Technus made a wish that he could have done more for Danny growing up. He never expected that a mischievous genie would hear it and make it true. Next thing Nicolai knew he was given the life he always wanted and had taken the place of Jack Fenton as Maddie's husband and the father of her children. He was given a life where he was always there and the perfect father. But he and Danny know the truth of how things are supposed to be, even if everyone else in the world does not. But now that he has been given everything he's ever wanted, but will he be able to give it up to set things right again?**__  
><em>

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><p><strong>Chapter 1:<strong>

**Life and Loss of Nicolai Technus**

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><p>In the following years after the rescue mission, the world seemed to be at peace. The TehnusFenton family could not have been happier. Nicolai had created a solid place for himself in the family and in his son's heart that three years before he never would have imagined. Life was bliss.  
>Danny had enrolled in a local college so he and Sam could stay together. The Mansons took a while to adjust to the fact that their daughter was having the child of a half ghost, but they embraced the idea. They even agreed that adopting the child out was probably the best thing they could do for the unborn boy. And even when Tucker went away to the college of his dreams, Danny and Sam stayed together and even got married.<br>The wedding was incredible. Technus had mentally recorded every detail of his life with the Fentons so he would never lose decorations were white, green, and black and the flowers had been imported from the Ghost Zone. The entire courtyard where the wedding had been held glowed with ghostly light. He could still remember how dashing Danny looked in his black tuxedo and how beautiful his daughter-in-law looked in her flowing black and green gown. Unorthodox as it was, she still looked like a vision of loveliness. And the fact that she was five months pregnant... Well the pictures were interesting.  
>Clockwork and Dan had even arrived at the wedding and the time keeper even shared a dance with the bride. Dan borrowed Valerie from Tucker, who had brought her as his date since they were coming from the same area, and proceeded to freak her out throughout the dance. Danny danced with his mother then Sam's mother as per tradition.<br>Nicolai had stayed in the shadows most of the night and found himself lost for words when Maddie Fenton held out her hand for a dance. Technus took it hesitantly, glancing at Jack nervously. The large man was smiling and bobbing to the music in a dorky fashion and didn't seem to mind. He was preoccupied by talking to his daughter, Jazz fenton.  
>Maddie put her arms around his thick neck and they danced on the floor, feet away from Danny and Sam. The woman's dress was a pale blue and had straps that tied around her neck, leaving her shoulders and back bare. As if this hadn't been awkward enough.<br>"Can you imagine that about a year ago, you were still trying to kill Danny?" The ginger asked with a smile. How she could ask that so easily was beyond him.  
>Technus smiled back as he held her waist, "Yes, it is hard to believe... Thank you for inviting me into your family so easily."<br>"It's your family too, Nicky." Maddie told him sweetly, "Speaking of your family, why haven't we heard anything about them? Wouldn't you have wanted them here? I know Danny did."  
>Nicolai frowned slightly, "I... He never told me."<br>The woman shrugged a bare shoulder, "I'm sure he just forgot. This has been a fairly big deal for him. He's been very stressed. And with everything you've done for him lately, I'm sure he didn't want to impose."  
>Nicolai lowered his head and glanced over at his son under his black shades. The boy was glowing with pride and happiness and he spun across the floor with his, quite literally, blushing bride. Just like both of his fathers, Danny had no moves. The soon to be father couldn't have looked happier. Even if he was going to be giving away his first born in a matter of months.<br>Another thing the two would have in common soon. Their first borns would be raised by another family... And knowing Technus, he wasn't going to have anymore.  
>"Don't look so glum, Nicky. You know Danny loves you, " She told him, tilting his chin back up, "I'm sure he'll ask you to meet them when he's ready.. Or when he feels like you are."<br>Technus nodded but said nothing to her. They finished their dance, and the rest of the wedding went off without a hitch. Tucker Foley gave a speech about how long he'd known Danny and all the things they used to do together. It was goofy yet touching as the boy recalled all the things that they got away with and all the memories they made.  
>Jasmine aslo gave a speech on her life since she got a little brother and how proud she was of Danny. She recalled all the times that she was scared for his life and all the times he pulled through even when the odds were stacked against him. Tears fell from her eyes as she wished that Danny and Sam would have the best future and have children just like her little brother. It even made Danny shed a tear.<br>And then everyone went home. The wedding ended, the decorations were taken down and life went on. Everyone went back to work, school and their lives as if nothing had changed. But everything had changed.  
>Now three years later, Nicolai Technus was a grandfather of a beautiful, blond, little boy being raised by the alternate future self of his son and the all seeing master of time. Danny Fenton was happily married and building a very successful life for himself and was even in the process of having his first home built. The boy, no, the man was now the official liaison between the ghost and human world. He worked under Walker to keep the peace between humans and ghosts. Samantha Fenton was studying to become a gothic designer. She already had her own line of asylum themed dresses that were selling like hotcakes to the gothic crowds.<br>Life was like nothing Technus had ever been a part of. His father and mother were wonderful, and loved him with all their hearts, but their home was nothing like this. The Fenton household was brimming with action and life and there was always something to do and someone to see. Ghostly and human visitors frequently stopped in to see the family, bring their young children over to meet their friends. Even Walker and Spectra had settled down. They now had a little red haired girl they named Carol. If three years ago some one had told Technus that Walker was a good Dad, he would have laughed till his head fell off. But apparently anything is possible with love.  
>Jack Fenton and Nicolai had gotten on closer terms, Jack finally being able to accept that Technus was in fact a ghost. When the news was first broken, Jack thought it was a prank of some kind. It took Technus possessing their house to get the point across. The large, dim man was wary at first, but his already formed friendship with him helped him to overcome it. Mr. Fenton never stopped apologizing for the ghost hunting. For about a year he would apologize at every get together. Technus accepted his apology and told him it didn't bother him.<br>Danny had still not met Nicolai's parents though. He had never even asked or brought it up. The father couldn't help but wonder why. Did he think that it would end badly? Was there some other reason?  
>Nicolai hadn't seen his family since he died. He stayed invisible at his own funeral because he saw how hurt they were at his death and how they were praying that he had gone to heaven. He watched as they prayed that he would reunite with his grandparents in the great beyond and realized he could never show them he was still around. How could he face them while he was still bound to earth? What could he say? He had no explanation for why he was a ghost or why he hadn't passed on. It would have broken his mother's heart to see him as a ghost. A ghost with green skin, red eyes and white hair. He was no angel...<br>The hurt had driven him into madness for years, where all he seemed to care about was becoming more powerful. After seeing his family in so much pain over him, he vowed to himself that he wouldn't let his own emotions cloud his life. He didn't want to hurt anymore. So he locked his emotions away. That is, until he found that boy again.  
>"I'M YOUR SON"<br>Those words unlocked every emotion, every heartbreak, and every loss Nicolai had ever felt. Three syllables broke the master of technology like nothing else could. It seemed that his mind had crashed and could not reboot.  
>suddenly his after life made sense. Some people say that ghosts exist because they have unfinished business on earth. Maybe this was his unfinished business. Maybe he was around because some part of him, the part of him that wanted a family, knew he had a child out there somewhere. He hadn't donated his sperm for no reason. He wanted some family to thrive because of him, and one had. And it was continuing to thrive because of his DNA, his son, his grandson and the future generations of Fentons.<br>But there was still a part of him that hurt. A part of him that knew that when he was gone, the Technus name would die with him. Nicolai was the only boy out of his four siblings and he had no uncles on his father's side to carry the name. A sad and depressing thought.  
>But living in the dark parts of life was going to get Nicolai no where. He toughed it out and saw to it that he made the best of this life he'd been given. He would make frequent visits to Danny and Sam's apartment, bringing a gift almost every time. He often visited Clockwork's tower to see how his grandson was doing. Dan had even finally called him 'Dad' for the first time within the last year! And little Aaron Leon Fenton was growing up so fast. he was two years old and so big. His little blond curls were growing out and were just as messy as his father's hair. His eyes however were from his mother. Big, beautiful violet eyes full of life and wonderment.<br>Nicolai yearned for the days when he could have looked into eyes like that and see himself in them. A time when he could have held a little one of his own and called them 'son'. He wanted those memories that Dan and Clockwork were making with their child.  
>But that ship had sailed. Danny wasn't a child anymore and was past the age of being coddled. Danny Fenton, halfa hero, was twenty one, married, and had already fathered a child. The best times were already in the past. His son was grown now and no longer needed help from his old man. The only thing to do now, was look to the future in hopes that life would give Technus another purpose for his after life.<br>And one day a ghost came to him while he was roaming through the streets of the human world. A female ghost who had fame in the Ghost Zone and the human realm. He had stopped outside of the Fenton's house to relax and watch cars. Every now and then he would switch the radio stations of the cars to thrasher metal music at high volume just to watch the people freak out.  
>"Hello, Ember." Technus sighed as he leaned on the brick wall of Fenton works.<br>"Why the long face?" She asked, hovering slightly above him wearing a smirk and her signature guitar, "Well, longer than usual that is."  
>"No reason." He shrugged, "Just a bit tired."<br>"Family life bringing you down?" She asked cocking her head with the same smirk, "That's why I left it behind years ago. Way too stressful."  
>In the last 3 years word had more than gotten out. The news that Danny Phantom was the son of an "insane super-villain bent on world domination" spread like wildfire after they officially announced it. It didn't surprised Technus that Ember knew and would bring it up. His relation to Danny had even scared some lesser ghosts away from him.<br>"It's not that." Technus assured her, "Can I ask you something?"  
>Ember Mclain floated down to his level and crossed her arms over her chest, "It's not going to be one of those philosophical questions is it?"<br>"Well, have you..." Technus thought for a moment before continuing, "Have you ever wished your life had turned out differently than it has? That you could go back and change it for the better?"  
>Ember frowned and stared at him for a moment. Her purple pained lips pressed into a flat line and she opened her mouth just to shut it again. She began to chew her lower lip thoughtfully.<br>"I guess everyone has," she replied after about two minutes of silence. "I don't know anyone who hasn't wished they could go back and correct their mistakes. I know I have more than once. I mean, look at me."  
>Technus gave her a quick once over. She was young when she died and was going to stay that way forever. Nicolai had been in his thirties and would be the same as well. Judging by the lyrics of her song, that the man would deny ever listening to, she had been hurt by a lover sometime before she died.<br>"It's not all rock and roll for me. I have to live with the fact that I'm going to be like this forever. My life force depends strictly on the love of people I don't even know and because of my fame, I don't know who are my real friends and who aren't," The girl admitted, "Even when I was dating Skulker I think he only liked me for my voice. He never seemed interested in ME."  
>"Skulker's never been one to care about the inside." Technus told her with a small smile, "Why do you think he skins animals rather than keeping them?"<br>Ember smirked at him, "So what's your problem, grouch? Your life seems to be going pretty damn well! What could you want to change?"  
>Technus slumped further and allowed himself to slide down the wall to sit on the ground, "It's not that I'm not happy with my life. I really do love it... But I just wish... I dunno. That I had more memories of it. Like a real father should."<br>Ember nodded slowly, "Right... Like what?"  
>Technus smiled as he remembered all the times his own father had been with him, "Like his first words, teaching my child to ride a bike... Those kinds of things. I guess I just wish I could have been there for him rather than.. not."<br>"I've never seen you this sentimental before..." Ember knelt in front of him with a frown, "It's kinda freaking me out."  
>Technus rolled his eyes behind his shades, "Teenagers... Think all adults have no lives outside their jobs..."<br>"Sorry, It's just odd... Skulker always told me you were a whack job," The girl smiled sheepishly, "I figured that meant you never had a soft side."  
>"We can't all be made of steel like Skulker." Technus scoffed, crossing his arms over his bent knees.<br>He looked to his left and saw a couple of parents walking down the street. Each of them was holding a hand of a small child as it asked them repeatedly where they were going. The master of Technology smirked a bit but it disappeared when a hand touched his elbow. He looked back to Ember to see her smiling faintly.  
>"I'm sure you'll get your wish eventually." She told him with a surprisingly gentle voice for her demeanor, "Ghosts can live forever after all."<br>Technus smiled and patted her tiny hand softly, "Thank you... I guess only forever is what I can count on."  
>Ember returned the smile and stood. She bid him farewell and deleted herself away in a puff of theatrical smoke. Technus shook his head and stayed where he was, watching the cars drive by.<br>Floating atop Fenton works, a mischievous Genie waited in silence. A catlike grin formed on her face and energy formed around her outstretched hands. Her words came out as little more than a hiss, never even noticed by her target.  
>"So you have wished it, so shall it be!"<p> 


	2. In Another Life

**I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Sorry that the paragraphs were so tightly packed. It was copied and pasted a lot of times between being spell checked and proofread. If you've stuck with me to this point I will say thank you! ^^ I hope you continue to read my work and review it as you have before! :) This next chapter is a bit shorter but I still like it. **

**Now on with the story!**

**Chapter 2**

**In Another Life**

Warmth surrounded him as he awoke. Nicolai's bed seemed more comfortable than usual and he seemed to have slept better the night before than he had in a while. His red eyes open as he yawned, scrubbing his hands through his white hair slowly. He paused his hands at the sudden full feeling of his hair. Nicolai ran his fingers through the soft locks and found it longer and fuller than usual. The parts of his head that were shaven now had hair.

He sat up slowly, stretching his arms and back as he did so. Some of his white hair fell in front of his uncovered eyes and he pushed them aside in agitation. Maybe he needed a haircut more than he thought.

He looked at the walls and ceiling. Something wasn't right. This wasn't his bedroom. There were photos on the walls, the paint was the wrong color and the room was carpeted rather than tile like the floor in Technus' own home. So... where was he?

"Dad?"

Technus' head jerked upright at the sound of Danny's voice. Besides the fact that Danny should have been in his own house, it sounded more shrill than it should have.

The ghost faced the door and saw his son standing in the doorway, looking quite dazed and confused. But more than that, he looked... Young! Danny had shrunken! And his mechanical leg that he had had for 3 years was gone!

"What happened to _you_?" Technus asked, "You've aged backward!"

Danny looked him over, "And you've upgraded."

Technus looked down at himself and found himself more muscular than he had before with circuitry lines going across his chest and abdomen. He was covered by the blankets from the waist down so he couldn't see much else. Which was odd, because he usually slept fully clothed.

"Uh... Dad?"

Technus looked back up at the boy, "Yes?"

Danny's expression had frozen and now looked outright appalled. And he wasn't even looking at Technus. He was looking past his father to the bed. Technus followed his gave and couldn't contain his shout of surprise.

"AH!" Technus jumped so high from the surprise he fell tumbling backward off the bed. He landed with a loud thud that woke the woman who had, apparently, been sharing his bed.

"_Dad_! Cover up!" Danny shouted, turning away with a very red face.

Apparently Technus had some how forgotten his pajamas before going to bed. Much to his embarrassment. He'd only ever kissed a woman once, even less been in bed with one! He quickly grabbed his pillow and covered his lap with it.

"Nicky, are you okay?" She asked sitting up quickly, pulling the satin bedsheets around her body.

"M-Maddie!" Technus stammered, "Wha-What are you-"

This was NOT happening! Maddie fenton was in his bed, and _SEVERELY _under dressed!

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Maddie asked with concern, wrapping the covers around herself as she got up and ran around to his side, "Did you hit your head?"

She reached out to him but Nicolai pushed her hand away, "I'm fine! What are you doing here?"

The woman frowned at him and leaned back a bit away from him, giving him an odd expression.

"Did you crash again?" She asked him warily, "I swear, you've been jittery ever since your new upgrade."

"Upgrade? What are you-"

"Dad, can I talk to you?" Danny interrupted him, now sounding very urgent, "In the hallway? _Alone_?"

Technus looked at the pillow covering himself and back to his son who was now standing in the hall gaping at a collage of photos hanging on the wall. The master of Technology glanced around, spotting a green robe hanging off the foot of the bed. He grabbed it, quickly putting it on.

He turned to Maddie and gave a nervous smile and said, "Excuse me for just a second..."

He turned from the room and walked into the hall, quickly shutting the door behind him. He looked to Danny and began to freak out.

"Okay, Danny, I know how that looks! But I swear I didn't-"

"Actually, I think you did..." Danny cut him off again, never looking away from the photos. His face had contorted into a look of mild disgust along with pure confusion.

Technus stepped behind him and looked at the collage as well. It was a combination of photos taken at several family events. There were events like Jazz's first birthday party, Danny's birth, family picnics, trips to the beach, and more random family photos. There was something wrong though. In every picture, Jack Fenton was completely vacant from the scene. Instead, Technus was in his place, holding Danny in the hospital, helping Jazz blow out her birthday candles, sitting beside Maddie on the beach... It was all wrong! It was like some one cut Jack out of the pictures and glued Technus in!

Technus watched Danny as the boy moved to look at another photo. A groan filled the hallway as he saw it.

"Oh no..." Danny put his face in his hands, "This is bad! This is really, really bad!

"What is it?" Nicolai asked, his nerves becoming more frayed by the second.

"What do you think?" Danny asked, pulling the picture off the wall and thrusting it in his father's face, "In this dimension, however we got here, _you _married my mom!"

Technus gawked at the photo in disbelief. Danny was right! This photo was photo evidence! Technus was shown standing with Maddie at the alter of a chapel, her in a gorgeous white gown and him in a black suit. They were kissing just after being pronounced husband and wife..

"This _can't _be happening!" Nicolai gasped, "_I _married _Maddie_?"

"I know. Uncle Jack can't believe it either."

Danny and Technus both silenced, stiffened and turned as Jazz came out of a door close to them and walked past them as if this was a _normal _occurrence.

"Morning Danny." she patted the boy's head making him flinch away, and turned to Technus, "Morning, Daddy!"

She hugged him briefly making him tense further from the sheer bizarreness of the situation.

"G-Good morning..." He returned.

"Back from your trip so soon?" She asked after releasing him, "I thought you weren't going to be back till Wednesday."

"I, uh..." Nicolai was at a loss for words.

What was he supposed to say? She was a teenager again? He was her father now? Since when? And "uncle Jack"? Why isn't Maddie married to _Jack_? How would this have happened in the first place? Why would a ghost hunter marry a ghost? Did this make Danny and Jazz half ghosts from birth? _What the hell was going on?_

"Jazz, dear, leave your father alone. He's a little frazzled." Maddie said, coming out of the room in her own blue robe and night gown, "Fell out of bed again. And I think his knew upgrade is glitchy."

If Technus wasn't so freaked out he would have been offended.

Jasmine giggled, "That's Dad for you."

Technus looked between the girls. Why were they acting like this was normal? Was this seriously another dimension? And if so how did he and Danny get here? And why were they the only ones that remembered the way things were supposed to be? And what trip was he supposed to be on?

The questions kept piling on and they were starting to make Nicolai's head throb.

"I think I need to sit down..." He breathed, leaning on the wall, allowing the picture in his hand to fall to the floor. He put a bare hand on his forehead and took even breaths to calm himself.

Danny took this opportunity to speak up, "Jazz, what was that about... Uncle... Jack?"

Jazz turned to her brother with a blank expression, "What? About him not being able to believe Mom married Dad? I say that kind of thing all the time."

Danny stared at her like she had grown a second head, "What exactly happened to... Jack?"

"He still lives in Wisconsin with Vlad. They're room mates." Maddie stated as if it should have been obvious, "Don't you remember? We were just there for my College reunion a few weeks ago."

College... That's when Jack and Maddie had gotten together... What had gone wrong in between that time and the present? How did Technus end up in Jack's place and Jack end up living with Vlad in Wisconsin? What event was drastic enough to change the course of their lives this much? Why was Maddie so okay with him being a ghost?

The confusion and shock was making Technus' head spin. He couldn't stand any longer.

"Dad, are you okay?" Jazz asked, stepping up to him again, "Dad?"

"Nicolai? Honey?" Maddie furrowed her brow and reached out to touch his face but not for long.

Nicolai fell, his limbs going limp. Darkness overtook him before he even hit the floor.


	3. Long Day

**[Enter typical disclaimers here.]**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**And as an additional warning, there will be more sexual references in this story, due to the nature of it. Seeing as Danny already made a child in his normal life and Technus had never been with a woman before coming to this weird alternate life. And since this story revolves mostly around adult POV and adult-turned-teen POV the language will probably be a bit rougher than usual.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Long Day

When Nicolai came to he was still laying in the hallway. his head had been propped up on a pillow and he could feel a slight wind coming off of a flapping piece of paper near his face. By relex he reached up and grabbed the wrist of the hand holding it, causing them to stop.

"Are you okay?"

It took a moment for Technus to process who he had heard. He was really hoping that what he had just encountered was a dream and he had slipped and hit his head in Fenton Works. He swallowed and turned his head to see what face the voice had been attached to.

Maddie was now leaning over him, fully dressed in her blue hazmat suit and looking very concerned. Technus groaned outloud and turned his head back up to look at the ceiling.

Fan- fucking-tastic.

"Nicky, are you okay?" Maddie asked again, "You crashed pretty hard. You've been out for an hour!"

'No, no. This is not happening!' He mentally denied, 'This _CAN'T _be happening!'

He sat up, pulling his robe around him tighter. He looked down both ends of the hallway, one leading to a wall the other to what looked like a living room. The children were nowhere in sight.

"Where are Danny and Jazz?" Technus asked Maddie.

"On their way to school." She told him, "Sam and Tucker showed up about ten minutes ago for Danny."

Tucker and Sam... So they were at least living in Amity Park. That much hadn't changed. But this building certainly wasn't Fenton Works. It wasn't nearly as industrial looking and looked much more expensive. The paneling on the walls looked imported and the tiles in the hall were real marble. He could tell because his head was aching where it had collided with the floor.

"Are you sure you're okay, dear?" Maddie pressed on, "Do I need to call Damon?"

Techuns turned to her with an arched brow, "Damon?"

"Damon Gray?" She told him with a frown, "He works under you at Axion Labs..? Do you have a virus?"

Nicolai stared at her for a moment, his brow wrinkled. Axion Labs? He worked there? Since when? Didn't they _hate _ghosts there?

There were several things he coudl have done here. Most included two options. 1. He could run away and find out how this happened and fix it. But that would risk endangering Danny and his family should whoever did this get angry. 2. He could ride this out and play along until he and Danny could figure out what was behind this together and put everything right.

The second option was definately the most secure. He just had to play along for now... First of all, to find out what happened to make this reality.

"I'm fine, Maddie." He lied with a smile, "I'm just a little tired from my... trip..."

Whatever that trip was. Technus made a mental note to look for family planners to see what he could find on his day to day schedual.

"If you're sure..." His -ugh...- wife sighed, "Get dressed and meet me in the kitchen. I'll make you some breakfast."

Technus got up with a groan and watched the woman leave. He scratched his head in aggitation and walked back into the bed room that it seemed he and Maddie shared. He closed the door behind him and walked to the closet. He pulled open the sliding door and found that it looked remarkably like his closet in his reality. Several of his outfits, all identical, lined up neatly in a row.

But these outfits were different. His cape was now one solid cut of dark grey fabric, with a darker circular clasp with a bright green N enblazoned on it. There was a series of 3 angular shapes that formed a pointed T on the biceps of the sleeves and a par of dark grey gloves shoved int he pockets of the black, double breasted jacket. A line of glowing green trip ran along the lower hem of the coat and accented the outfit rather nicely in his opinion.

"Wow... I like this upgrade..." Technus said to himself as he pulled one of the suits fromt he closet.

With that he proceeded to get dressed. At least he'd be facing this reality in style.

-**DP**-

Danny walked along side Sam and Tucker, throwing paranoid glances all around him. This made no sense. How did he get sent into this weird reality?Not that he minded Technus in hi life. But this was taking it a little too far. he was really hoping he could have stayed hom till Technus woke up so they could talk but jazz forced him out of the house to go to school. Which sucked because Danny had graduated _three years ago_!

And what was worse was no one but Danny and his father seemed to notice! Even Danny's best friends were acting as iff this was totally normal! They hadn't even spared his new house a second glace.

And on that note, the new house was incredible! It was two stories of extravagant rooms that were beautifully decorated. Photos and paintings adorned the walls, there was a giant fireplace in the den, all the counters in the kitchen were marble, and even the tassles on the green curtains had gold charms with the letter T engraved in them. This house could compete with Sam's! Infact, they now lived just up the street!

And Sam... She had no idea about the life she shared with Danny. They were no longer married and had no house of thier own. She was blissfully unaware of the life she would have had were Danny not sent to this starnge world. It hurt the boy's heart to think that if he never found a way back, there's a chance all of this could change.

"So, Danny, did you study for Lancer's test?" Tucker asked, leaning foreward a bit to look around Sam.

"Of course he didn't!" Sam answered for him, "He was out fighting ghosts all night."

Danny tried to speak up when Tucker spoke again.

"All night? I thought Jazz was helping him." The techno-geek frowned.

"You've met Jazz. Does she ever _really _help?" Sam asked, only barely joking.

"That's true." Tucker agreed with a slow nod, "So was your mom helping you or something?"

"Uh, well..." Danny stammered.

He didn't know the right answer! he wasn't sure what they were talking about or what had even happened the night before! he definately didnt want to look insane by answering no when his sister or mother had in fact been with him all night fighting ghosts.

"I dont want to talk about it," Danny brushed it off.

The other two quieted down for a moment as they walked.

"So, we hear your dad is back early," Sam stated out of the blue with a smile.

Daniel turned to her, "Huh?"

"Wasn't he at a ghost sciences conference in New york?" The goth girl asked with a frown, "You were talking about it all week!"

"Oh, uh, right! The conference!" Danny laughed nervously as he played along, "Sorry. Things have been kinda hectic at the house since he, er... got back."

"He and your mom didn't have a fight did they?" Tucker asked with worry in his voice, "Their anniversary _is _coming up."

Danny smiled halfheartedly, trying to push away the thoughts of what he was pretty sure Technus and his mother had done, "Nah, they're... fine. Dad's just on the fritz again."

"That's what he gets for upgrading himself when there was nothing wrong with him," Sam sighed, "Though, his new hair is an upgrade from his mullet. At least it looks a bit more modern now."

"Kinda..." Danny agreed, his voice squeaking a bit, "So,uh... Sam! How's the family?"

The girl turned to him with a confused expression,"What?"

"How are your parents? And your grandma?" Danny repeated trying to not sound weird by asking.

But he had to know if her life were the same. If so, there was a chance they could still have a future together. As long as no one else's life had changed with his.

"Every thing's fine. Why?" Sam asked, cocking an eyebrow at him, "You gonna try and get them to like you again?"

"Not gonna happen!" Tucker butted in, "You know they can't stand ghosts. What did they call them again?... Bad role models?"

"You told them?" Danny snapped in shock.

Sam told her parents he was half ghost? That wasn't an important secret to keep?

"I didn't have to tell them," Sam rolled her eyes, "They knew a long time ago. Like, before we even met. Your parent's wedding was all over the news."

"It was?" Danny asked giving his best impression of a dear in the headlights.

"Dude, where is your brain today?" Tuck asked with a frown, "How could you forget that your parents were the ones who started the ghost's rights movements? They fought for the right for humans to marry ghosts and ghosts to be married in the human world. Ghost marriages are springing up all over the country now!"

"Not all of them have kids though." Sam added with a smirk, "That took a little work on your parents behalf."

"Huh?" Danny stopped mid step. He could see the school now but he was too confused to walk further, "Work? What are you talking about?"

The teenage girl exhaled, "Really? I have to explain this to _you_? You grew up with them, you should know this by now."

Daniel swallowed, "Right... Never mind then... Let's just get to school before we're late."

As they walked up onto the campus of Casper High no one payed them any mind. As usual Danny was one of the social outcasts. Only now, it seemed he was an outcast for totally different reasons. Did everyone in this realm know about his powers? Had he gotten them from birth? Did that make Jazz a Halfa too?

"Technus!"

Danny stopped when he heard Dash's voice ring out across the school hall as he entered. He looked around in utter confusion as everyone turned to look at him.

Technus? What was he- Oh, right... Danny wasn't a Fenton anymore.

Dash threw a helpless nerd out of the way as he stormed across the floor toward Daniel.

"There you are, geek!" The jock growled as he approached the smaller boy, "I've got a problem with you!"

"You always have a problem with me," Danny rolled his eyes, "What is it this time?"

In his years as an adult Danny had long since gotten over taking any crap from anyone. The Observants, possessed by an evil spirit or not, underestimated him and he wasn't going to let that happen again. And he certainly wasn't going to bow for a jock with a superiority complex.

"I copied your answers during that vocab test and got a D!" Baxter announced, "And you know what happens when you get me bad grades!"

"You flunk out and live out your days as an underachieving fry cook?" Danny offered blandly.

Sam and Tucker turned to him with wide eyes, as he expected. This was going to be a long day.

"What did you just say to me?" Dash asked, narrowing his eyes at Danny.

The halfa sighed loudly, "Dash, just take a hike, will ya?"

"I don't think so, ghost freak!" Dash raised his clenched fists in front of Danny's face, "You'll have to make me."

Daniel rolled his eyes yet again and raised the index finger of his right hand. He pointed it at the bully and willed a green blast to fire from it. If Everyone knew he had ghost powers then what was the point in hiding them?

The Ghost Ray shot at Dash and nailed him in the chin, throwing him backward onto the floor. But something was off. That blast was supposed to be stronger than that. Danny was trying to send the jerk into the wall not knock him down!

"Danny what are you doing?" Sam asked in a panic, "You're going to get in trouble!"

"Yeah, dude! Don't blow your cover!" Tucker added in.

"Cover?" Danny eyed them both in confusion, "What are you two talking about? They know I'm half ghost!"

"The Sword in the Stone, people! What is going on here?" Called the loud and rather annoying voice of Mr. Lancer.

"Aw, crap." Danny mumbled as the overweight teacher pushed his way through the crowd of gawking students.

Lancer looked from Danny to Dash with a glare. The bully pulled himself up and quickly gave Danny a smirk before putting on the most pathetic display Danny had ever seen.

"Mr. Lancer! Thank goodness!" Baxter sighed, "Technus attacked me!"

Being called "Technus" was definitely going to take some getting used to.

"Mr. Technus what is the meaning of this?" Lancer asked angrily, "You've been under strict orders not to use your powers at school!"

"He threatened me!" Danny snapped back, "He cheated off of me on one of your tests and tried to beat me up for it!"

"He's lying!" Dash cut in pitifully, "Why would I tarnish my perfect football career by doing something that stupid?"

The literature teacher looked between the two boys, his bias toward the athletically gifted was obviously still in tact.

"Danny, I'll see you in my office." Lancer said flatly, "Where I will be calling your parents."

"But-" Danny tried to speak up.

"One more word and it will be one month of detention, Mr. Technus!" Lancer spat, "As it stands, using your ghost powers would be enough to get you expelled!"

Danny huffed, "Fine." He turned to Sam and Tucker, "I'll call you guys later so we can talk."

"If your folks don't ground you." The techno geek added.

Sam elbowed tucker in the side roughly, "Ignore him. We'll be your witnesses and tell your folks what really happened."

Danny smiled at her before glaring at dash and Lancer to trudged off to the office. This was a long day already.


End file.
